St Joseph County

St. Joseph County, Indiana — key demographics

Population size

• 272,912 (2020 Census). Up from 266,931 in 2010 (+2.2%)

Age

• Median age: 36.9 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 23.0%
• 18 to 64: 60.0%
• 65 and over: 17.0%

Gender

• Female: 51.2%
• Male: 48.8% (ACS 2018–2022)

Racial/ethnic composition (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: 76.6%
• Black or African American alone: 12.9%
• Asian alone: 3.0%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: 0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 4.6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 9.1%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 70.1%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: 105,700
• Average household size: 2.47
• Family households: 62% (married-couple families: 44%)
• Nonfamily households: 38%
• Households with children under 18: 29%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 67%
• Average family size: 3.07

Notes: Race categories are “alone” unless noted; Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity that can be of any race. Presence of major universities (e.g., University of Notre Dame) contributes to a relatively younger median age and higher share of nonfamily households.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

St. Joseph County, IN (≈273,000 residents) has an estimated 208,000 email users, reflecting ≈92% of adults and ≈77% of the total population.

Age distribution of email users:

• 18–29: ≈23%
• 30–49: ≈33%
• 50–64: ≈25%
• 65+: ≈19% Teens 13–17 contribute about 6% of users, with roughly 70–80% email adoption.

Gender split among users mirrors the population: ≈51% women, 49% men; usage rates are nearly identical by gender.

Digital access trends:

• About 80–85% of households subscribe to home broadband; roughly 12–18% are primarily mobile-only for internet.
• Smartphone adoption exceeds 85%; email remains a daily tool for work, school, and services.
• Fiber-to-the-home is widely available in South Bend and Mishawaka, and 5G covers major corridors; public libraries, schools, and university campuses offer extensive free Wi‑Fi.

Local density/connectivity:

• Population density is roughly 600 people per square mile, with the South Bend–Mishawaka urban core showing higher broadband adoption and email engagement than rural fringes.
• The University of Notre Dame and other colleges boost young‑adult connectivity and elevate 18–29 email usage locally.

Summary of mobile phone usage in St. Joseph County, Indiana (focus on differences from state-level)

Context and population base

• Population: approximately 273,000 residents; about 104,000 households (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022).
• Urban centers (South Bend, Mishawaka, Notre Dame) dominate usage patterns and network buildout; the county is more urban and university-influenced than the Indiana average.

User estimates (modeled from ACS S2801 household device access and Pew 2023 ownership rates)

• Mobile phone users (any cellphone), adults 18+: about 200,000–210,000 individuals.
• Smartphone users, adults 18+: about 180,000–190,000 individuals.
• Households with a smartphone: on the order of 85–90% of households.
• Smartphone-only internet households (no fixed home broadband): modestly above the statewide share in urban tracts, reflecting a higher renter/student mix and lower median incomes than the state average.

Demographic breakdown (ownership and reliance)

• Age:
  • 18–29: near-saturated smartphone ownership (≈95%+), boosted by university enrollment; higher share than statewide.
  • 30–49: very high ownership (≈90–95%); strong use of mobile for work and family coordination.
  • 50–64: solid adoption (≈80–90%); growing use of mobile banking/telehealth.
  • 65+: lower but rising adoption (≈65–75%); gaps persist, but county programs and health systems drive increased use.
• Income and housing:
  • Lower-income and renter households show higher rates of smartphone dependence (smartphone as primary internet) than the Indiana average, driven by affordability and flexibility.
• Race/ethnicity:
  • Minority communities in South Bend/Mishawaka exhibit high smartphone adoption and above-average use of app-based messaging; smartphone reliance is elevated where home broadband adoption lags.
• Students:
  • A disproportionately large student population (Notre Dame, IU South Bend, Ivy Tech) pushes mobile-first behavior (campus apps, e-wallets, ride-share, and streaming), differentiating the county from statewide patterns.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 4G LTE: Near-universal coverage across populated areas; continuous service along I-80/90 (Indiana Toll Road), US-31, and major arterials.
• 5G:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) provide 5G in South Bend/Mishawaka and around Notre Dame; mid-band 5G (C-band and 2.5 GHz) is prevalent in the urban core, yielding noticeably better capacity than many Indiana rural counties.
  • High-capacity nodes (mmWave/small cells and enhanced DAS) are deployed at Notre Dame Stadium and on/around campus to support game-day surges—an infrastructure feature that exceeds typical county-level deployments statewide.
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA):
  • Verizon and T-Mobile FWA are widely marketed in the South Bend area; take-up is stronger than the statewide average in renter-dense tracts, reinforcing smartphone-first and mobile-broadband substitution.
• Rural edges:
  • Pockets at the county periphery show weaker mid-band 5G and greater reliance on low-band 5G/LTE; this urban-rural gradient is less pronounced than in many Indiana counties due to the county’s compact footprint and highway corridors.

How St. Joseph County differs from the Indiana average

• Higher concentration of 5G mid-band capacity and event-driven small-cell density (Notre Dame) than typical Indiana counties.
• Greater share of smartphone-only and mobile-first households in the urban core, tied to a larger renter/student base and slightly lower median household income.
• Faster adoption and usage of carrier-based FWA as a home internet alternative, complementing smartphone reliance.
• Usage patterns skew toward app-centric services (university platforms, streaming, ride-share, mobile payments) more than the statewide norm.
• Coverage quality and capacity are notably better within the urban corridor than in many parts of the state, while remaining gaps persist in rural fringes.

Key takeaways

• St. Joseph County’s mobile landscape is defined by strong urban 5G capacity, university-driven mobile behaviors, and above-average reliance on smartphones as a primary on-ramp to the internet compared with statewide patterns.
• While basic coverage (LTE/low-band 5G) is broadly similar to the Indiana average, capacity and mobile-first usage are meaningfully higher in the county’s urbanized areas.

Social media in St. Joseph County, IN — 2024 snapshot Note: County-level platforms don’t publish local usage. Figures below are 2024 modeled estimates for St. Joseph County by applying Pew Research Center usage rates to the county’s 2023 ACS age–gender profile.

Headline numbers

• Population: ~273,000; adults 18+: ~213,000
• Adults using at least one social platform: ~72% → ~153,000 adult users
• Teens (13–17) using at least one platform: ~95% → ~16,000 teen users
• Total users 13+: ~169,000

Most-used platforms (adults 18+; estimated local adoption)

• YouTube: 83% (~176k adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~145k)
• Instagram: 47% (~100k)
• TikTok: 33% (~70k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~64k)
• Snapchat: 27% (~58k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (~47k)
• Reddit: 22% (~47k)
• Pinterest: 30% of women; 8–10% of men (significant among women 25–44)

Age-group profile (share of each age group using platform; local rates mirror national)

• Teens 13–17: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~62%; TikTok ~63%; Snapchat ~60%; Facebook ~33%
• 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~78%; Snapchat ~65%; TikTok ~62%; Facebook ~32%; X ~28%; LinkedIn ~44%
• 30–49: YouTube ~92%; Facebook ~73%; Instagram ~49%; TikTok ~39%; LinkedIn ~41%; Snapchat ~30%
• 50–64: YouTube ~83%; Facebook ~69%; Instagram ~29%; TikTok ~24%; LinkedIn ~28%
• 65+: Facebook ~58%; YouTube ~49%; Instagram ~15%; TikTok ~7%

Gender breakdown

• Overall userbase ≈ 52% female, 48% male (county demographic reflection)
• Skews by platform: TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest skew female; YouTube, Reddit, X, LinkedIn skew male
  • Approximate skews: Pinterest heavily female (75%+ of users); Reddit mostly male (65–70%); X and YouTube slight-to-moderate male skew; TikTok and Instagram modest female skew

Behavioral trends in St. Joseph County

• Facebook remains the default for community news, city and county updates, school districts, and ND game-day info; private groups drive high engagement
• Student-driven content (Notre Dame, IU South Bend, Bethel) boosts Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok usage, especially during semesters and athletics
• Short-form video dominates discovery (TikTok, Reels, Shorts); YouTube is the primary “how-to” and long-form destination
• Messaging-first behavior: Facebook Messenger for family/community; Instagram DMs and Snapchat for peers; many small businesses transact via DM
• Event-driven spikes: Notre Dame football weekends, severe weather, festivals (e.g., St. Joseph County 4-H Fair) amplify local reach on Facebook and Instagram
• Local commerce: Facebook Marketplace and buy/sell/trade groups are widely used; service providers and healthcare/education staff network on LinkedIn
• Neighborhood apps: Nextdoor usage concentrated in suburban areas (e.g., Granger, Mishawaka) for safety, utilities, and contractor referrals

Sources: Pew Research Center (2023–2024 Social Media Use studies); U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey. Figures are modeled, rounded estimates tailored to St. Joseph County’s demographics.